Check-row corn-planter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

J. PLYNN. CHECK ROW CORN PLANT-ER.

No. 442,032. Patented Dec. 2, 18.90.

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a? raw ZZ W UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JOHN FLYNN, OF VAIL, IOWA.

CHECK-ROW CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,032, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed August 2, 1890. Serial No. 360,831- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FLYNN, of Vail, in the county of Crawford and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements in Check-Row Corn-Planters; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvem ents in cheek-row corn-planters.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved check-row corn-planter exceedin gl y simple and effective in construction, and wherein the operating-wire extends directly through the central portion of the machine.

These objects are accomplished by and this invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

v Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan of the machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with portions broken away. Fig. 4. is a cross-section. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the operating-buttons.

,In the drawings, the reference-letter a indicates the frame of a corn-planter having draft tongue or pole 1), wheels 0, and boxes cl, and opening-runners e, of any suitable construction. The discharge of seed from boxes cl through seed-tubes fis controlled by the transverse reciprocating seed-slide g, of any ordinary or suitable construction, arranged to drop the seed as usual.

h is the check-wire to be stretched across the field, as usual, and having the buttons i therein, at regular and suitable intervals, to operate the dropping mechanism to drop the hills when desired. Each button consists of a single piece of wire or otherwise constructed of suitable metal, bent near its center to form the Open circle 1, and the ends of the wire are bent in opposite directions to form the loops 2 2, extending in opposite directions from the open ends of the central circle. This circle is located in a plane at right angles to the plane of the two loops and projects laterally beyond said loops. The ends of the wire lengths 3 are secured loosely to said loops 2 by means of eyes, so that the buttons act as links to unite the sections of and form the complete wire which stretches across the field, the eyes on the ends of wires 3 being so formed that they will not separate from the buttons when the wires hang slack.

In this machine the operating-wire extends directly across the center of the machine. j is a guiding-tube located on the outer portion of the drafttongue, through which the wire slides, and 7c is another tube on the centerof the rear portion of the machine. This tube is mounted in a bracket Z, secured to the frame by slots and screws, so that it can be adjusted in the direction of the length of the wire. This bracket is also provided with a series of vertical apertures so that the tube can be adjusted vertically. or is another guide-tube mounted in a bracket Z on the center of the forward part of the machine. This tube is preferably rendered adj ustable vertically and longitudinally, after the manner of tube 70.

Between guiding-tubes 7t and m the operating-wheel n is mounted in a bracket Z to rotate in a vertical plane toward the rear. This bracket Z is preferably constructed similar to brackets Z- l, so that the wheel can be adjusted vertically and laterally. This wheel is provided with two series of radial spokes 0 arranged in pairs, as shown, with a slot between each pair at the center of the wheel wide enough to allow the wire to pass freely through, but so that the circle of the buttons will strike said spokes and rotate said wheel rearwardly a sufficient distance to allow the button to pass the spokes. This rotation of the wheel reciprocates the seeddropping slide through the medium of vertical shafts 19, mounted in suitable bearings on opposite sides of the bracket. At their upper ends each shaft is provided with the lateral or crank arm q extending into the path of the spokes 0, and at their lower ends with rearwardly-projecting lateral or crank arms 7' extending loosely into forks or slotsin brackets s secured to and extending up from the seed-droppin g slide. The outer side of every alternate spoke in each series and of one ICO spoke in each pair is reduced on the outer side so that the other spoke of each pair projects farther to the side. Thus when the machine proceeds forwardly and the wheel is rotated rearwardly, by engaging one of the operatingbuttons one of the lateral arms q will be engaged and rocked by a spoke, (while the reduced spoke on the other side will pass by the arm g on the side without engaging the same,) thereby reciprocating the slide in one direction and droppinga hill or two, and when the next button is reached the shaft on the other side is rocked, thereby throwing back the slide. Thus the vertical shafts are alternately rocked. "The brackets s are rendered longitudinally adjustable on the slide to vary the throw thereof by means of slots and screws, as shown.

The great advantages of passing the Wire through the center of the machine are obvious.

The wire can pass up through the drafttongue or to oneside of the same. With this corn-planter more than two horses can be used abreast, because the wire-runs through the center of the machine. This is a matter of great importance, particularly in hilly farmin g-lands. By having the dropping-wheel and said guide-tubes carrying the operating-wire through the center of the machine the rows can be planted straight; also, all side draft is obviated.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatI claim is- 1. Theherein-describedbutton,composed of one piece of wire or other material formed into the central transverse circle, and the opposite looped ends extending in opposite directions from the open center of the centralcircle.

2. In a corn-plan.ter,the combinat 10" of the frame and seed boxes and slide, the guldetubes longitudinally arranged at the center of the machine, the rotary operating-Wheel mounted between two of said tubes, having radial spokes between which the wire fits, and devices operated by the rearward rotation of said wheel to reciprocate the slide, substantially as described.

3. In a corn-planter, the frame, horizontal guidetubes longitudinally arranged along the center of the same and on the draft-pole, the operating-wheel operated by buttons of said wire, and the dropping mechanism operated by said Wheel, substantially as described.

4. The slide having upwardly extending slotted brackets, in combination with the vertical shafts having lateral rearwardly-extending arms extending loosely into said slots to reciprocate said slide,and the operating-wheel mounted on the frame of the machine and operated by the buttons of the check wire, substantially as described.

5. In a check-rowcorn-planter, the guidingtubes and Operating-Wheel, arranged substan tially in the center of the machine.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FLYNN.

Wnnesses FRANK CASEY, BRYAN ODoNNELL. 

